Journal of
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Health

  • Abbreviation: J. Vet. Med. Anim. Health
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2529
  • DOI: 10.5897/JVMAH
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 419

Full Length Research Paper

Serological evidence of African horse sickness virus infection of donkeys in Karamoja sub-region, North-eastern Uganda

Jesca Nakayima
  • Jesca Nakayima
  • National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), P. O. Box 96 Tororo, Uganda.
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Mary L. Nanfuka
  • Mary L. Nanfuka
  • National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Centre (NADDEC), P. O. Box 513, Entebbe, Uganda.
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Daniel Aleper
  • Daniel Aleper
  • National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), P. O. Box 96 Tororo, Uganda.
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Duke Okidi
  • Duke Okidi
  • National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), P. O. Box 96 Tororo, Uganda.
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  •  Received: 12 June 2017
  •  Accepted: 17 August 2017
  •  Published: 31 October 2017

Abstract

African horse sickness virus (AHSV) causes a non-contagious, infectious insect-borne disease of equids and it is endemic in many areas of sub-Saharan Africa but extends beyond its endemic zones to the Arabian Peninsula, Asia and Europe. The usual mode of transmission is by biting midge, a biological vector and Culicoides imicola appears to be the principal vector. Serum samples were screened from camels and donkeys for AHSV antibodies using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). Results revealed that 16/22 (73%) donkeys had been exposed to AHSV. All 85 camels screened in the study tested negative to AHSV. This was the first study of AHSV in Uganda and it was geared at creating awareness for the veterinary service needs of these animal species which is non-existent so far.

Key words: African horse sickness virus (AHSV), Culicoides spp., camels, donkeys, Uganda.

Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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